I'm working on learning more about spinal cord injuries, quadriplegia, debility, etc. It's hard to be occupation based and client centered at all times..but I did utilize the Wii bowling and air hockey table today! 

Sorry I do not write more. Still paranoid about saying things on here about work, plus my internet connection is really bad in this area. Plus I'm always really exhausted…about to go to bed once I shower even though it won't even be 10pm. 😡 

I'm working on learning more about spinal cord injuries, quadriplegia, debility, etc. It's hard to be occupation based and client centered at all times..but I did utilize the Wii bowling and air hockey table today! 

Sorry I do not write more. Still paranoid about saying things on here about work, plus my internet connection is really bad in this area. Plus I'm always really exhausted…about to go to bed once I shower even though it won't even be 10pm. 😡 

First, to OTs/PTs/SLPs out there: I'm doing inpatient rehab – typical stuff like TBI, SCI, CVA, etc – if you have any cool treatment ideas please share!:)

I can say some things though!

I'm half-way through my first full week as an OTR/L. (Only had Thursday/Friday of last week). It's been a little chaotic because of some unusual circumstances, so I've definitely had to step up and do things earlier than expected. But all the staff – OTs, PTs, SLPs, techs, etc, are all sooo helpful and smart and awesome and supportive, so it's worked out well. I had two patients on Monday, 3 patients Tuesday, two patients today…mostly different patients each day! If you have 3 patients that means you see them in the morning for 45 minutes and in the afternoon for 45 minutes – so each person gets their hour and a half of OT a day required. So you see people 45 minutes x 6 if you have 3 patients. So that's a lot of treatment, not to mention all the documentation. Maybe that's actually nothing – but as a new grad with limited experience in this setting, it seems like a lot. The most common things seen in this inpatient rehab hospital – are pretty typical – traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, debilitation, hip/bilateral knee replacement, strokes of varying severity…a lot of them have comorbidities or low vision so that all adds to it!

I've gotten experience with bathroom transfers requiring 3 people and lots of adaptive equipment (bedside commode with drop arm, sliding board, gait belt, etc)…picking up tricks from the experienced therapists on how to fasten adult diapers on a person while sitting on the toilet (attaching it like underwear) rather than waiting until they stand up, if they are pretty dependent….how to set up wheelchair to toilet or mat or bed most effectively and how to hold the person best…how to use an airsplint…etc etc. 

I have heard people talk about imposter syndrome and it's true…every day I'm like AUGH I'm such an imposter! I have my license, did everything I'm supposed to, but I still don't know much!! But maybe I know more than I think…nobody has any complaints at least and I'm told I'm doing well! 

I got to see a therapy dog in action….pets really can make amazing differences! 

The best part of all this is living on campus…walking out my door for 3 minutes to work….and then after work going 3 minutes the other way to the recreation center….the gym, the track, nature trails, ping pong, pool, weight room, etc….been going every night with few exceptions….I think I've gone about 6x a week the last few weeks! I go with another PT student, Tana, who lives down the road in a student cottage (her sister was an OT student here 10 years ago who now works with my former classmate Becca in Chattanooga – small world) or the SLP roommate, Jamie, or by myself! 

Today at the gym after work a lady came in to do elliptical and she hadn't done it before (we were chatting) and I totally instinctively like guarded her as she got on, I was like sorry it's the therapist in me coming out! LOL.

Um…this is long but I'm trying to write a lot to give all the info and make up for lost time! I'm about to shower/eat dinner then go study for about an hour….brainstorm tomorrow treatment ideas etc.

Okay so a typical day…

Get up 640am fully prepared for day so can be out of house by 720….walk in by 730….check schedule…

start ADLs with someone up anytime until 9am…

9am to 945, 945 to 1030, 1030 to 1115 is treatment times…

then documentation time….

lunch 12 to 1230….if time lol.

1230 to 1- documentation

1 to 145, 230, 315, treatment time…

315 to 400pm, documentation….ideally leave by 4pm to not have overtime.

430ish or 5ish to 6ish or 7ish…go to gym…or walk on trails or whatever…

8pmish to 9pmish…study…

Chill in between those times…

Go to bed by 10 30pmish….soooo tired!

It's hard being a new OT and everything being new!! I'm on high alert all day and it exhausts me! I just want to try to sleep away the afternoon/evenings but I know that's the worst thing I could do so I do so much time at gym! It's been good for me. I'm typically high-strung with new situations like this but I think all that time at the gym has really helped me handle things.

I kind of get nervous/scared when I head into work in the sense that, well, duh, I'm freaked out about not knowing everything or even close…but I need to remember how much I've learned just in 5 days there…so…hopefully can continue! 

ANYWAY….wow this is long. 

It's cool living with a PT and SLP too…and having a PT student friend…etc…

Um….

Okay I'd better get hopping. I might share some of my treatment ideas here soon!!

Fun though. Love living on the campus with the recreation center next door. Got to play air hockey and ping pong and go on walking trails near forest/lake and on outdoor track dodging deer and indoor track and weight room etc etc! With my fellow PTs/SLPs! Fun stuff!! Plus last night watched Warm Springs the movie with a PT student. 

TODAY, we are participating in the special Labor Day weekend celebration where once a year they refill the pool with the waters and allow the community admission! Me, SLP & her husband, and PT student, are going for the 10 to 1130 slot ….these are the bouyant waters that made such a difference to many people with polio way back when. 

Rest of plans for weekend include going to the gym, doing lots of OT study/review, especially of anatomy and the more technical stuff, brainstorming ideas on what to do – we do have air hockey, skee ball, a gardening area, etc for the patients so that is awesome – and then just chilling with various people or whatever.

My new motto when tagging along for just about anything is “It's Warm Springs – what else am I going to do?” lol. 

I love the quiet campus…just the chirps of bugs and frogs at night…love its beauty…the sunset over looking Lake Dream….love all the recreation opportunities next door to me, love walking to work just a few buildings down, etc!! 3 minute walk from my door to therapy doors.

I need to talk to HR or someone soon about blogging – so sorry I can't give details! I can say this week I've done some transfers, goniometry, hemi dressing techniques, maneuvering for dressing techniques for paraplegia, deltoid aid, and toileting etc lol….love being an OT 🙂

My goal for tomorrow is to not freak out big time tomorrow night in advance of my first REAL day, Thursday. So I'm going to go to the gym if it kills me to try and work off the stress. And do some review  of phys dys stuff like manual muscle testing, major anatomy, range of motion, etc etc.

I should do some tonight but I'm toooo tired!

Good night!!!

Roosevelt is well known for his amazing leadership during the war and great depression…

what people don't think about is how his polio and subsequent stays at Warm Spring changed his attitude and thoughts a LOT…

he went from elite rich president to a humbled man willing to surround himself with people with disabilities (especially polio), the SHUNNED….saw first-hand how people lived in rural GA and their poverty….really impressed upon him the need – on a personal level – to make sure the “little people” were taken care of and given work…

Imagine how his presidency was changed by these major life events…he may have never even BECOME president had Warm Springs not existed as a way to motivate him to move past his polio.

Very inspiring. Warm Springs is a truly magical place that changed the world!! 

My Georgia licensure came through….Monday I tie up loose ends, Tuesday and Wednesday I have general orientation, and starting Thursday I have my first day as a real OTR/L. I'm excited.

I think sometime next week I'll have to make a final decision as to how I want to take on the future….maybe officially closing down this blog (still up to read, just not adding to it)….not sure yet. Since my name/work and all that are posted, I'd be exceptionally limited in what I could post. As in, basically just random things not related to work. Dunno. I'll figure it out. My main goal is to stay an employee so that means being VERY VERY VERY careful! 

I have received word of a new blog to link for y'all, from an OT student starting this upcoming week…plus a big ol' horror story about the importance of keeping up with continuing education hours/licensure lapses! Coming soon! Maybe tomorrow night.

I am always thrilled to receive e-mails and comments from y'all. Thanks so much for the support and/or for using me as a vessel of OTosity. Haha. Anyway…good night.

Way back on my acute care hospital rotation ie over a year ago, I spent a day observing at a nearby rehab hospital. I was observing this older black lady get rehab and I believe she was being co-treated by an OT and PT. I’m sad I apparently didn’t write this up as I forget the details, but it was somewhat eerie. She referred to me as her angel and I don’t mean that in the casual sense. She didn’t have much capacity for speech but when she did it was wanting to know where I was (if I had left her line of sight slightly).. It was a little spine-tingling/intriguing.

I was thinking about that the other day…what an odd experience. Then today I was observing an OT, almost one of the first things the patient does is call me an angel. It startled me because of the story I had been thinking about.

I think OTs are often called angels…some of it may be that most of them tend to be young women, and some of it may be that they (usually) tend to be very caring (waiting here for my friend “Cookie Gimp” to pipe up with some interesting remarks)……lots of reasons…..I guess a lot of caring people get called angels!! Now, PTs just get called sadists…..because they are!!!!!!!!

KIDDING, KIDDING, KIDDING, I SWEAR……kinda…no SERIOUSLY I AM KIDDING (noimnot)…JUST KIDDING. Physical therapists are amazing and awesome. 🙂 But so are OTs!!!!!

I’m excited to be an occupational therapist!! More observation tomorrow and Monday in various areas, then Tuesday and Wednesday are generic orientation, then DUM DUM….we see what happens?!!!